14.2.17

Place Vendome - Close To The Sun (2017)

AOR is always an interesting genre to listen. The genre mostly built up on rich melodic elements, played on mid-tempo setup. There is actually a typical AOR tempo, which is not so fast but just enough. The music is usually full of spirit, fit well into movie scenes also. Michael Kiske happened to be in one of this AOR based band. Place Vendome is unique project where bassist of Pink Cream spend his alternate world creating AOR album. In this Place Vendome exactly, Michael Kiske is the lead vocal assigned by Dennis Ward. They already produced at least four studio albums so far. Close To The Sun is their latest, as their most previous is Thunder In The Distance released in 2013 with Streets of Fire and Place Vendome earlier. See, even the album titles are fanciful phrases.

Close To The Sun is the same title for the opening song. It is quite a heavy one. Melodic intro in full force are our entrance to this song. One must admit that Michael Kiske's melancholic voices is just naturally fit into this genre. The song went smoothly for long time listener, thus if you already get to know Place Vendome on their previous albums, this one sounds exactly as one of their collections. In this album, the band invited several guest guitarists, just to take up the solos. Uwe Reitenauer is the first soloist, he is kind of "resident" guitarist as he is played in Pink Cream also. The second song is rather trivial, "Welcome To The Edge". The thing is, the chosen vocal style may take us off the guard. Just listen to the thick bass voice that open the song. Even so, the song itself is a direct continuation to the first song. A typical AOR with interesting choice of singing.

"Hereafter" is enpowered with bit of progressive metal taste. The guitarist in lead is Simone Mularoni of DGM, a progressive metal band indeed. We will then calm the storm for a while with piano ballad "Strong". Immediately after that, we back to business with "Across The Times". The intro is excellent, as if the band is never lack a powerful melody. "Riding The Ghost" is based on hard rock guitar riff. On "Light Before The Dark" a long intro brings us to the next fantasy world. This is one of my favorite on this package, well writing structure with elements of neo-classical solos by Gus G.

There is also a point in the album where things taken slower, as in "Breathing" and "Yesterday Is Gone". A power ballad with lot of character singings inside. On the last part, is "Hellen", a very vintage '80s AOR feel song.

Overall, Close To The Sun is very well written album. Though I enjoy Place Vendome very first album the most, this one may be called the second best of their discography. One thing need to caution, Close To The Sun is much more heavy, more metal than before. The addition of guest soloist could be the reason, they brutalize the song a lot. It's nice to see the band keep the quality consistent for each albums. Lastly, the two other members also deserved praises, Gunter Werno is imaginative keys player. While the drummer, Dirk Bruinenberg is doing his second Place Vendome album and successfully integrated. On top of those, this album is strongly attribute to Michael Kiske appearances.